Systems and methods for visualizing multiple volumetric data sets in real time

Abstract

Systems and methods for visualizing multiple volumes of three-dimensional data. A graphics card is used for voxel intermixing, pixel intermixing and image intermixing, which produces a final-combined image of the three-dimensional data in real time.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 883,722, filed on Jan. 5, 2007, is hereby claimed, and the specification thereof is incorporated herein by reference.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH[0002]Not applicable.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0003]The present invention generally relates to the visualization of multiple volumetric data sets—also referred to as three-dimensional-volume data sets. A graphics processing unit (“GPU”), sometimes referred to as a graphics card, is used to visualize (co-render) the three-dimensional-volume data sets at interactive rates—meaning in real time.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]In the applied sciences, various fields of study require the analysis of two-dimensional or three-dimensional volume data sets wherein each data set may have multiple attributes representing different physical properties. An attribute, sometimes referred to as a data value, represents a particular physi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0026]The present invention meets the above needs and overcomes one or more deficiencies in the prior art by providing systems and methods for visualizing multiple three-dimensional-volume data sets in real time.

Problems solved by technology

Thus, the diagnosis of a particular condition based upon these attributes is limited by the ability to display a single attribute at a predetermined location.

Early interpretation by a geologist or a geophysicist, hereinafter referred to as geoscientists or interpreters, was made by hand-marking on seismograph film and later on large paper “bed sheets.” The process was tedious and time consuming.

The challenges of volume visualization are mainly speed and size.

This approach makes it difficult to analyze the coherence and relationship between volumes.

Nevertheless, this technique is limited by the specific algorithm(s) used to perform pixel intermixing by bump mapping.

Other techniques have been developed in this field for imaging multiple three-dimensional volume data sets in a single display, however, not without considerable limitations.

The resolution of the display is, therefore, significantly reduced, thereby limiting the ability to distinguish certain events or features from the rest of the data.

This technique becomes untenable when more than two attributes are combined.

As a result, the extra processing step needed to generate the enhanced three-dimensional volume data set causes interpretation delays and performance slow downs.

Furthermore, this pre-processing technique is compromised by a “lossy” effect which compromises data from one seismic attribute in order to image another seismic attribute.

Consequently, there is a significant loss of data visualization.

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